Automatic feeder

ABSTRACT

An automatic feeder for an automated poultry handling system and other automated animal handling systems having a number of spaced blocks of cages each including two banks of cages disposed back to back with several tiers of cages in each bank. The feeder has feed troughs to be mounted along the cage tiers of each cage block and a set of interconnected feed hoppers movable in unison along the feed troughs at each side of each block. The two sets of interconnected feed hoppers of each cage block are driven back and forth periodically in unison along their feed troughs to dispense feed into the troughs along the entire lengths of the troughs. The hoppers of each hopper set are interconnected by chutes to permit filling of all the hoppers of the set through a filler opening in the upper hopper.

United States Patent [1 1 Conley [451 Dec. 4, 1973 AUTOMATIC FEEDER [76]Inventor: John L. Conley, 3870 Chino Ave.,

Chino, Calif. 91710 [22] Filed: May 12, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 142,519

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 967,1 l2 8/1964 Great Britain PrimaryExaminer-Hugh R. Chamblee Attorney-Boniard I. Brown [57] ABSTRACT Anautomatic feeder for an automated poultry handling system and otherautomated animal handling systems having a number of spaced blocks ofcages each including two banks of cages disposed back to back withseveral tiers of cages in each bank. The feeder has feed troughs to bemounted along the cage tiers of each cage block and a set ofinterconnected feed hoppers movable in unison along the feed troughs ateach side of each block. The two sets of interconnected feed hoppers ofeach cage block are driven back and forth periodically in unison alongtheir feed troughs to dispense feed into the troughs along the entirelengths of the troughs. The hoppers of each hopper set areinterconnected by chutes to permit filling 'of all the hoppers of theset through a filler opening in the upper hopper.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED DEC 4 197a SHEET 2 OF 2 lNVEA/TORJOHN L. COA/LEY A 7'70/QA/E Y AUTOMATIC FEEDER RELATED APPLICATIONSReference is made herein to my copending applications Ser. No. 142,511,filed May 12, 1971, and entitled Automatic Poultry Egg Collector, andSer. No.

142,518, filed May 12, 1971, and entitled Automatic Animal Dropping PitCleaner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates generally to automated animal handling systems and moreparticularly toan automatic feeder for such systems.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art As will appear from the ensuingdescription, the automatic feeder of the invention may be employedtoadvantage in a variety of automated animal handling systems. However,the feeder is designed primarily for use in an automated poultryhandling system for egg producing poultry and will be described in thisconnection.

The ever increasing demand for food products requires constantimprovements in and automation of food production techniques. Thisapplies to all types of food production including polutry eggproduction.

The automation of poultry egg production requires an automated poultryhandling system including three basic automated components. Thesecomponents are an automated poultry feeder, an automated poultry eggcollector, and an automated poultry litter remover. The earliermentionedcopending applications disclose an improved automated egg collector andan improved automated dropping pit cleaner for an automated poultryhandling system. The present invention provides an improved automaticfeeder for an automated poultry handling system and other automatedanimal handling systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an automaticfeeder for an automated poultry handling system or other automatedanimal handling system having a battery of cages arranged in spacedblocks of cages with access aisles between the adjacent cage block's.Each cage block has two multi-tiered .banks of cages disposed back toback with several cages arranged side by side in each bank tier. Eachblock of cages is equipped with an automatic feeder according to theinvention for furnishing feed to all of the block cages.

The feeder has feed troughs to be mounted along the front or outer sidesof the several cage tiers in a cage block. Movable along each trough isa feed hopper for supplying feed to the trough. Drive means areprovidedfor periodically driving the hoppers along their troughs to dispensefeed along the entire length of each trough.

According to one feature 'of the invention, the feed hoppers are drivenback and forth along the feed cemed with simplifying the task of fillingthe hoppers with feed. According to this feature, the several hoppers ateach side of each cage block are arranged one over the other in a set.The upper hopper of each set BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 isa plan view of an automatic poultry feeder according to the inventioninstalled on a block of poultry cages; I

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the left end of the cage blockand poultry feeder in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 33 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating a feed hopper of theautomatic feed system and the manher in which the hopper is mounted formovement along its feed trough.

. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Thedrawings illustrate apoultry feeder 10 according to'the invention installed on a block 12 ofpoultry cages 14 of an automated poultry egg producing system. An actualpoultry egg producing system embodies a number of cage blocks 12arranged side by side with access aisles between the adjacent blocks.The several cage blocks together constitute a cage battery. Cage block12 is composed of two banks 16 of poultry cages l4 disposed back toback. Each cage bank 16 has several levels or tiers 18 of cages arrangedone over the other with a number of cages arranged side by side in a rowin each tier. In the particular inventive embodiment illustrated, eachcage bank 16 has threetiers 18 of cages. Cages 14 are supported byaframe 20.

The automatic poultry feeder 10 includes a number of feed troughs 22equal to the number of cage tiers 18 in the cage block 12. These feedtroughs are mounted in any convenient way along the front or outer sidesof the cage tiers at levels such that poultry within the cages may reachfeed'in thetroughs through the openingsin the front cage walls. Inconnection with this trough mounting, it is significant to note in FIG.3 that the inner or rear wall of each trough is spaced slightly from thefront walls ofits respective tier of cages. The reason for this spacingwill be explained presently.

Movable along the feed troughs 22 at each side of the cage block 12 arefeed hoppers 24, 26 and 28. Each hopper is supported for movement alongits feed trough by means of rollers 30, 32 on the hopper riding on rails34, 36 attached to the adjacent cage bank 16. The upper rail 34 is anangle extending horizontally along the top of the respective cage tier18 and having an outer depending vertical flange 38. The upper rollers30 are rotatably mounted on arms 40 fixed to opposite sides of andprojecting rearwardly from the hopper. Rollers 30 turn on vertical axesand ride on the rear surface of the upper roll flange 38. The lower rail36 is furnished by a flange along the upper edge of the rear wall of theadjacent feed trough 22. The lower rollers 32 are circumferentiallygrooved and rotatably mounted on opposite ends of a horizontal supportbar 42 fixed to the rear side of the hopper. Rollers 32 turn onhorizontal axes and ride along the lower rail 36 with the roller flangesstraddling the rail, as shown.

The hoppers 24, 26, 28 at either side of the cage block 12 are locatedone over the other and are interconnected to form sets 44, 45 of hopperswhich are movable in unison along their feed troughs 22. Drive means 46are provided for drivingthe two hopper sets back and forth in unisonbetween the ends of their troughs in such a way that the sets move inopposite directions. Drive means 46 comprises a reversible motor 48mounted on a platform 50 at the left end of the cage block 12 in FIGS. 1and 2. This platform is located at the level of the center cage tiers 18of the cage block. Motor 50 drives a winch or winding drum 52 through achain drive 54. Drum 52 is rotatably supported by a bracket 56 on theplatform 50 to turn on a horizontal axis extending endwise of the cageblock. Fixed to and wound in opposite directions about the drum 52 arecables 60 which pass around rollers 62 on the platform 50 and are fixedat ends to the center hoppers 26 of the hopper sets 44, 45. A cable 64is fixed at its ends to the center hoppers 26 and passes around rollers66 on the right end of the cage block 12 in FIG. 1. Between the rollers66 is a tensioning roller 68 attached to the cage block by means of anadjustable bracket 70. Roller 68 and bracket 70 are adjustable toregulate the tension in the cables 60, 64.

From the above description of the hopper drive means 46, it is evidentthat rotation of the drum 52 in one direction by the motor 48 drives thefeed hopper sets 44, 45 in unison but in opposite directions along theirfeed troughs 22 from their positions of FIG. 1 to the opposite ends ofthe troughs. Rotation of the drum in the other direction drives thehopper sets in the opposite directions back to their positions of FIG.1.

Motor 48 is energized by a control circuit (not shown) including areversing switch 72 which is operable to reverse the direction ofrotation of the motor and hence the direction of rotation of the drum52. Switch 72 is actuated by a shaft 74 rotatably supported on andextending across the left end of the cage block 12 in FIGS. 1 and 2.Fixed to opposite ends of this shaft are transverse arms 76, 78 whichextend in opposite radial directions from the shaft. Arms 76, 78 arelocated for engagement by rollers 80, 82 on the center feed hoppets 26of the hopper sets 44, 45 upon arrivalof the latter at the left ends oftheir troughs 22. Engagement of the rollers 80 on the hopper set 44 withthe arm 76 rotates the shaft 74 in one direction to actuate the switch72 to a position in which the motor 48 is energized to drive the hoppersets 44, 45 from their positions of FIG. 1 to the opposite ends of theirfeed troughs. As the hopper set 45 approaches the left end of its feedtrough in FIG. 1, its roller 82 engages the arm 78 to rotate shaft 74 inthe opposite direction. This action actuates switch 72 to a position inwhich the motor 48 is energized to drive the hopper sets in the reversedirection back to their positions of FIG. 1, and the cycle is thenrepeated. Accordingly, the hopper sets are driven back and forth alongtheir feed troughs. If desired, the motor energizing circuit may embodyadjustable delay or timing means for retaining the hoppers at the endsof their troughs for a period of time so as to effect movement of thehoppers along troughs at periodic intervals in accordance with the rateof feed consumption.

According to a feature of the invention, all of the three feed hoppers24, 26, 28 of each hopper set 44, 45, are filled through a filleropening 84 at the upper end of the upper hopper 24. To this end, thehoppers of each set communicate through telescoping chutes 86, 88 onadjacent hoppers, whereby feed poured into the upper hopper flows fromthe latter hopper to the lower hoppers until all the hoppers are filled.These telescoping chutes also interconnect the hoppers mechanically formovement of the hoppers of each set in unison. The telescopingarrangement of the chutes accommodates any slight relative verticalmovement the hoppers may undergo during their back and forth travelalong the feed troughs. At the lower end of each hopper is an outlet 90opening to the bottom of the adjacent feed trough 22 through which feeddrains from the hopper into the trough.

The operation of the present poultry feeder is now evident. During thisoperation, the hopper sets 44,45 are driven back and forth along theirfeed'troughs 22 to dispense feed into the troughs along their entirelength.

As noted earlier, the poultry feeder is designed primarily for use in anautomated poultry egg producing system embodying the automatic eggcollector and automatic poultry dropping pit cleaner of my earliermentioned copending applications. The egg collector is shown in part at92.

What is claimed as new in support of letters patent is:

1. An automatic feeder for an automated animal handling system having arow of cages comprising:

a feed trough,

means mounting said trough along said cage row,

a feed hopper for containing feed and having an outlet opening to saidtrough through which said feed may pass from said hopper into saidtrough,

means supporting said hopper for movement along said trough including amember such as aroller on said hopper riding on a longitudinal edge ofsaid trough to vertically support said hopper onsaid trough, and

means for driving said hopper along said trough to dispense feed intothe trough 'along its entire length.

2. An automatic feeder for an automated animal handling system having abank of cages containing several tiers arranged one over the other witha number of cages disposed side by side in each tier, comprising:

feed troughs trough means mounting said troughs along said cage tiers,respectively,

a feed hopper for each trough, the several hoppers being arranged oneover the other,

means independently supporting each hopper for movement along itsrespective trough including a member such as a roller on each hopperriding on a longitudinal edge of its respective trough to verticallysupport each hopper on its trough,

means connecting said hoppers for movement in unison along said troughsand for relative vertical movement of the hoppers,

each hopper having an outlet opening to its respective trough throughwhich feed may pass from the hopper to the trough, and

means for driving said hoppers along said troughs to dispense feed intothe troughs along their entire length.

3. An automatic feeder according to claim 2 wherein:

said outlet opening of each hopper extends the full width of the hopperin its direction of movement.

4. An automatic feeder according to Claim 2 wherein:

said drive means are connected to one hopper, and

means connecting said hoppers for movement in unison along said troughsby said drive means. 5. An automatic feeder according to claim 2wherein: the upper hopper has a filler opening through which feed may bepoured into the upper hopper, and

said connecting means comprise telescoping chutes communicating thehoppers for passage of feed from the upper hopper to the lower hoppers,whereby all of the hoppers are fillable through said filler opening.

6. An automatic feeder for an automated animal handling system having abank of cages containing several tiers arranged one over the other witha number of cages disposed side by side in each tier, comprising:

feed troughs trough means mounting said troughs along said cage tiers,respectively,

a feed hopper for each trough, the several hoppers being arranged oneover the other,

means independently supporting each hopper for 7. An automatic feederfor an automated animal handling system having a block of cagesincluding two banks of cages disposed back to back and each havingseveral tiers arranged one over the other with a number of cagesdisposed side by side in each tier, comprising:

feed troughs trough means mounting said troughs along said cage tiers,respectively,

a feed hopper for each trough, the several hoppers at each side of saidcage block being located one'over the other and constituting a hopperset,

means independently supporting the hoppers on and for movement alongtheir respective troughs,

each hopper having an outlet opening to its respective trough throughwhich feed may pass from the hopper to the trough,

means connecting the hoppers of each hopper set for movement in unisonalong-their troughs and for relative vertical movement of the hoppers ofeach set, and

common drive means for driving the two sets of connected hoppers inunison along their troughs, said drive means comprising cables extendingaround the ends of said cage block and attached to corresponding hoppersof said sets for movement of said hopper sets in unison in oppositedirections along their respective troughs, a reversible motor fordriving one cable endwise alternately in opposite directions, and meansfor reversing said motor at the limits of travel of said hopper sets.

8. An automatic feeder according to claim 7 wherein:

the upper hoppers in said hopper sets have filler openings through whichfeed may be poured into the upper hoppers, and

said connecting means of each hopper set comprise telescoping chutescommunicating the adjacent hoppers of the set, whereby all the hoppersof each hopper set may be filled through the filler opening of therespective upper hopper.

1. An automatic feeder for an automated animal handling system having arow of cages comprising: a feed trough, means mounting said trough alongsaid cage row, a feed hopper for containing feed and having an outletopening to said trough through which said feed may pass from said hopperinto said trough, means supporting said hopper for movement along saidtrough including a member such as a roller on said hopper riding on alongitudinal edge of said trough to vertically support said hopper onsaid trough, and means for driving said hopper along said trough todispense feed into the trough along its entire length.
 2. An automaticfeeder for an automated animal handling system having a bank of cagescontaining several tiers arranged one over the other with a number ofcages disposed side by side in each tier, comprising: feed troughstrough means mounting said troughs along said cage tiers, respectively,a feed hopper for each trough, the several hoppers being arranged oneover the other, means independently supporting each hopper for movementalong its respective trough including a member such as a roller on eachhopper riding on a longitudinal edge of its respective trough tovertically support each hopper on its trough, means connecting saidhoppers for movement in unison along said troughs and for relativevertical movement of the hoppers, each hopper having an outlet openingto its respective trough through which feed may pass from the hopper tothe trough, and means for driving said hoppers along said troughs todispense feed into the troughs along their entire length.
 3. Anautomatic feeder according to claim 2 wherein: said outlet opening ofeach hopper extends the full width of the hopper in its direction ofmovement.
 4. An automatic feeder according to Claim 2 wherein: saiddrive means are connected to one hopper, and means connecting saidhoppers for movement in unison along said troughs by said drive means.5. An automatic feeder according to claim 2 wherein: the upper hopperhas a filler opening through which feed may be poured into the upperhopper, and said connecting means comprise telescoping chutescommunicating the hoppers for passage of feed from the upper hopper tothe lower hoppers, whereby all of the hoppers are fillable through saidfiller opening.
 6. An automatic feeder for an automated animal handlingsystem having a bank of cages containing several tiers arranged one overthe other with a number of cages disposed side by side in each tier,comprising: feed troughs trough means mounting said troughs along saidcage tiers, respectively, a feed hopper for each trough, the severalhoppers being arranged one over the other, means independentlysupporting each hopper for movement along its respective troughincluding a member such as a roller on each hopper riding on alonGitudinal edge of its respective trough to vertically support eachhopper on its trough, a filler opening in the upper hopper through whichfeed may be poured into the upper hopper, telescoping chutes connectingthe hoppers for movement in unison along said troughs and for relativevertical movement of the hoppers and communicating said hoppers forpassage of feed from the upper hopper to the lower hoppers, whereby allthe hoppers are fillable through said filler opening.
 7. An automaticfeeder for an automated animal handling system having a block of cagesincluding two banks of cages disposed back to back and each havingseveral tiers arranged one over the other with a number of cagesdisposed side by side in each tier, comprising: feed troughs troughmeans mounting said troughs along said cage tiers, respectively, a feedhopper for each trough, the several hoppers at each side of said cageblock being located one over the other and constituting a hopper set,means independently supporting the hoppers on and for movement alongtheir respective troughs, each hopper having an outlet opening to itsrespective trough through which feed may pass from the hopper to thetrough, means connecting the hoppers of each hopper set for movement inunison along their troughs and for relative vertical movement of thehoppers of each set, and common drive means for driving the two sets ofconnected hoppers in unison along their troughs, said drive meanscomprising cables extending around the ends of said cage block andattached to corresponding hoppers of said sets for movement of saidhopper sets in unison in opposite directions along their respectivetroughs, a reversible motor for driving one cable endwise alternately inopposite directions, and means for reversing said motor at the limits oftravel of said hopper sets.
 8. An automatic feeder according to claim 7wherein: the upper hoppers in said hopper sets have filler openingsthrough which feed may be poured into the upper hoppers, and saidconnecting means of each hopper set comprise telescoping chutescommunicating the adjacent hoppers of the set, whereby all the hoppersof each hopper set may be filled through the filler opening of therespective upper hopper.